The Winter's Tale
by K.N. Singh
Summary: More than a year has passed since the Firelord was defeated by the Avatar on the day of Sozin's Comet. Since then Ozai has been left in a prison cell with nothing but his own thoughts and the very rare visitor. How does he justify the path he took to power when it has all gone so wrong? Does not necessarily follow the events of The Promise.
1. Zuko

This story is told from Ozai's POV and is meant to take place after the series ends while not necessarily following the events of The Promise comics. I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of the characters therein.

**Chapter 1: Zuko**

Five hundred thirty seven days. I am imprisoned still. After a mockery of a trial at the behest of my Pretender son, I have been sentenced to rot here until "such a time as the Avatar deems me fit to release". Nonsense! Since when does the Avatar determine the fate of the Fire Nation? My grandfather Sozin was far too soft where the Avatar's previous incarnation, Roku, was concerned. He did not yet understand the importance of sacrifice in his quest for greater power. As a consequence, he proved unable to use the providence of Roku's proximity to him to aid in his quest. Instead he proved to be nothing but a distraction- delaying Sozin's plans by decades. However, rumor has it that he eventually saw the light and allowed Roku to die twelve years before the arrival of what is now known as Sozin's Comet. Thus he ensured that not even the Avatar would stand between him and his victory. My son, weak from the day he was born and further corrupted by my brother's teachings, has doomed himself to repeat Sozin's mistake. He has substituted the Avatar's judgment for his own and in doing so diminished the power and glory of himself and the rest of the Fire Nation. But he will see. I will make him see. And he will at learn to fear me once more.

***********After the Comet***********

Consciousness comes back to me. The bed feels unusually stiff beneath my back. I open my eyes not to see the ceiling of my bedchambers, but the top of a prison cell. Memory of the past few days returns in a flood of defeat, shame and anger. Something else as well. Weakness? No. Never weakness.

What woke me? Footsteps? Yes. I hear them approaching, then halting just outside in the hallway. A large metal door with a single barred window swings open, revealing that traitorous boy Zuko in the Firelord's robes. This is too much.

"I should count myself lucky. The new Firelord has graced me with his presence in my lowly prison cell."

"You should count yourself lucky that the Avatar spared your life. Banishing me was the best thing you could have done for my life. Maybe your time in here can do the same for you." I see the willful little wretch who taunted me on the day of the eclipse is here to stay. He has not learned well enough to fear me. Or has he? Does he intend to finish me off while I sit defenseless in my cell? Bribe the guards outside for their silence? Surely he knows that true patriots of the Fire Nation will not stand for his incompetent rule for long. As long as I am alive his position as Firelord is far from secure.

"Why are you really here?" Zuko narrows his eyes in what I assume is anger, though I know he must enjoy looking down on me as the one who stole the flaming throne.

"Because you're going to tell me something. Where is my mother?" I don't bother concealing the smirk that comes to my face at his plea. This may be just what I need.

"Not even a week as Firelord and you're already crying for your mommy. My, my, how far my bloodline has fallen." He shoots a fireball into the cell so that it impacts the ground less than two feet away from where I sit.

"Do you think this is a joke?!"

"Yes. Like everything you have ever done, all this amounts to is a joke. Not even a very good one." Zuko draws himself up, trying to convey a sense of superiority that we both know he is not entitled to.

"That's big talk coming from a deposed Firelord who can't even bend anymore!"

"At least when I could and tired to teach you a lesson with firebending my aim was better." Shock resounds on his face, still half-scarred from that failed lesson. Then his expression turns into an enraged snarl as he turns around and storms out of the room, slamming the cell door behind him. I have won this battle. And his reliance on me ensures that I will live to win the war.


	2. Azula

**Chapter 2: Azula**

Over a year has passed since Zuko first came to me in search of information about Ursa. I have given him nothing. I see weariness in his eyes and hear desperation in his voice. This encourages me. The mantle of Firelord cannot be worn by one who would let foolish sentiment ensnare him. News of assassination attempts trickle into my cell daily. It is only a matter of time until one is successful. I have thus played the waiting game and I play to win.

I assume it's nighttime from the square of torchlight that comes in through the sole window in my cell door. In a better time I could feel the Sun as it rose and set in the sky, intrinsically connected to my inner fire. Life without it has since been…cold. Sounds from the door's lock abruptly catch my attention. Strange. I didn't hear anyone approach the door in the first place. The lock takes longer than usual to come undone, but finally the door opens.

"Father?"

Azula looks as though she has definitely seen better days. She wears a dirty prison uniform instead of the ornate armor I had been used to seeing her in. How disappointing that both of my children have failed me so. But it appears that supporters of the true Firelord have prevailed at last.

"Azula, what brings you here?"

"I'm breaking out! What did you think I was doing?!", she retorts in a harsh whisper. Breaking out? No one has managed to secure our official release?

"Has no one deposed your brother yet? Even in here I hear stories of attempts against his life and discontent among Fire Nation citizens as a result of our nation's perilous decline! Without the boon to industry that is war and without the land of the Earth Kingdom to exploit, every Fire Nation noble stands to lose the vast majority of their wealth. Have they really stood for this?" Azula begins to pick the lock on my inner cell door.

"They fear retribution from the Avatar." Azula's voice drops further. "Some of them may even fear Zuko. They have begun to collaborate with him in order to save their own skins."

"WHAT?!"

"Keep it down! Do you want every guard in the prison to hear you?!", Azula hisses, pausing in her efforts to undo the lock.

"Why would it matter? I won't go into hiding like some common refugee. I assure you my supporters _will_ overthrow Zuko and restore me to my rightful place on the throne."

"When?! If you haven't noticed, it's been well over a year now! Several Fire Army and Navy generals are in here too, along with anyone who took part in the Earth Kingdom invasion on the day of Sozin's Comet! Everyone who was left has either fled or kowtows to Zuko like the Sun shines out of his ass!"

"I refuse to believe that the entirety of the Fire Nation is so weak and easily misled as to accept the rule of that usurper! He is no more than a puppet for the Avatar who will wreak havoc upon this great nation in retaliation for the extermination of his people! How can they stand by and allow that to happen?! Have they no pride?! Have they no honor?!"

A commotion starts in the hallway. "I think I heard something up there! Check the cells!", a guard shouts. Azula turns toward the door in a panic.

"We don't have time to argue about this. I've almost got the lock but we have to hurry!", she says as she frantically fumbles with the pin in the lock.

"_We_ are not going anywhere. You may run away and hide in whatever hovel you wish while I await the victory of the **true** supporters of the Fire Nation!"

"They aren't coming! Don't you understand?! It's over! You will never be allowed to become Firelord again, regardless of whatever harebrained scheme your cronies concoct! Even at your strongest during the comet you were still defeated by the Avatar as I was defeated by Zuko! There is no future here for us! We need to go!"

"No."

Azula abandons the lock, gathers her tools and heads for the door. She turns to me one last time, sounding as if she's about to cry.

"Have a nice life then. Don't say I didn't try." She exits and closes the outer door behind her. Seconds later the door is again opened by a guard bearing a torch.

"Anyone in here with you?", she asks, frustration bleeding through in her tone.

"Now what would give you that idea?"

"I heard noise coming from around here. It sounded like you were talking to someone."

"No, just talking to myself. Only way I can be assured of intelligent conversation, you know." The guard rolls her eyes before closing and locking my cell door. Funny, she didn't seem to notice that it was unlocked before she came.


	3. Ursa

**Chapter 3: Ursa**

Weeks have passed since Azula's escape attempt. I don't know if she was successful. The guards have not mentioned it within earshot of me. Zuko's last visit was thankfully brief. He simply stormed into my cell, called me a monster and left as quickly as he came.

The nights grow ever longer and bring a permanent chill to my prison cell. My oh-so-merciful guards have seen fit to provide me with an extra blanket for all the help that does. I have never missed my fire more than now. Sleep comes fitfully. One night I am awakened by a most unexpected sight.

"Ozai? Are you awake?" Her voice sounds familiar, yet it is one that I have not heard in years. Its owner in this dim torchlight appears not to have aged a day since the last time I saw her.

"Ursa? Is that really you? Forgive me my sloth, but it does get dark so early these days."

"Yes. Today is the Winter Solstice if I am not mistaken."

For a minute all is silence. All that could be said between us was said years ago. Why or how could she possibly come back?

"So Zuko finally found you, did he? I suppose this explains him being so cross with me during his last vist."

"He did. When he finally found me and discovered the full extent of what you had done after Azulon's murder, he was furious with you. It probably took an intervention of the Avatar on your behalf to convince him not to execute you. But he has made peace with what you have done."

"You know I had to, Ursa. Though I know you didn't do this just for me, your deeds that night rid me of every obstacle placed before me in my rise to power. But I couldn't just let you walk away from that. Power requires great sacrifices of those who wield it."

"Sacrifices on your part? Or from those unfortunate enough to have trusted you? Your ambition has swallowed lives whole. And to what end? You are no longer Firelord, you may never leave this cell, your followers have deserted you and your family is broken."

"Yes, a sad state indeed."

"A sad tale's best for winter."

"But you're wrong. I will live to leave this wretched dungeon behind and reclaim my place as the ruler of this world. This cannot have been for nothing! And most surprisingly you have returned to me after all."

"No, Ozai. You did things that can't be taken back and now you must live with the consequences of your actions. One of those is that I can never return to you."

"If what I did can never be taken back, then why bother to guilt me over it? You of all people should understand that I needed to do it! I even spared the life of your precious Zuko! If I have made any mistake it was that!"

Ursa shakes her head.

"You don't mean that. You may insist to your dying breath that all of your crimes were justified, all the sacrifices of those around you necessary for the pursuit of your goals. Of power. Of your birthright as the stronger son of Firelord Azulon. But we both know that's a lie. You are human. That's something you can never will yourself to stop being. Your ambition denied others their existence. I know you don't want to hear this, but your past is catching up to you. There is no way out of dealing with the consequences. Only a way through."

I laugh, trying to conceal just how deeply her statement cut me.

"You always knew just what to say to make my blood boil."

Her form begins to blur before me.

"It's a shame I had you executed."


End file.
